Longitudinal Applicator With Articulated Rod

ABSTRACT

An applicator in the axial direction is designed to cooperate with a receptacle provided with a threaded neck and containing a cosmetic product. The applicator comprises: a) a manual gripping means, b) an application means, and c) an axial rod fixing the manual gripping means to the application means, the axial rod being an articulated rod with an upper arm and a lower arm forming a hinge by cooperation of a male element with a female element. The male element includes two lateral walls comprising a solid part between them, forming the axle. The female part includes a central wall, the central wall comprising two projections facing each other forming a central recess such that the female element forms a hub. The solid part has an external section forming a complete or partial order N regular polygon and the central recess has a homothetic internal section, such that angle α formed by the arms is equal to discrete predetermined and stable angular values. The applicator provides predetermined and stable angular values and easy assembly of the applicator.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of fluid product applicators for makeup or face or eye care and typically comprising a brush as the means of application of a product such as mascara.

BACKGROUND

Many cosmetic fluid product applicators having a brush are known, for example as described in European applications No. 8630772, No. 87301927, No. 92303851, No. 94304753, No. 94306189 and No. 99420221.0.

Typically, these brushes comprise a metallic frame made of metallic wires twisted so as to fix the rows of bristles in place.

These applicators are typically associated with a receptacle to form a dispenser, the dispenser typically including:

the receptacle forming a body containing the fluid cosmetic product and typically provided with a threaded neck,

the applicator forming a threaded cap closing off the neck, the cap being fixed to a means of application, typically a brush, that dips into the fluid cosmetic product when the dispenser is closed, a rod fixing the brush to the cap.

Moreover, the neck is typically provided with a wiping ring to limit the quantity of cosmetic fluid drawn out by the brush each time the brush is withdrawn from the body.

Mascara applicators comprising an articulated brush or rod are known, such as those described in patents US 4 165 755, US 5 328 282 and US 4 428 388.

Problems occur with the known applicators. Firstly, applicators according to the state of the art that include a brush or an articulated rod as described in patents US 5 328 282 and US 4 428 388 may require a large number of parts and are usually complex and expensive to make due to the assembly of their different parts.

Secondly, when the number of parts is limited, as in some applicator methods as described in patent US 4 165 755 in which the articulated rod forms a hinge with two arms, either the arms are difficult to assemble in order to form the hinge, or the hinge has an excessively large clearance and is then insufficiently stiff in the angular direction to enable normal use of the applicators.

Furthermore in these patents, the articulated arms can form an angle ox that is almost arbitrary.

There is a continuous need to renew marketed products and to provide new technical functions for these products in the field of cosmetic product application and packaging devices.

SUMMARY

The invention aims to obtain a simple applicator, inexpensive to manufacture, comprising a rod provided with a hinge and two articulated arms, which solves the problems discussed above. Since these applicators are used by one's self, the gestures necessary to manipulate such applicators only require a limited number of angular configurations.

In accordance with aspects of the invention, the applicator of a cosmetic product, typically mascara, is designed to cooperate in the axial direction with a receptacle provided with a threaded neck containing the cosmetic product so as to form a dispenser of the cosmetic product. The applicator comprises:

a) a manual gripping means typically forming a cap used to close off the neck,

b) a means of application of the cosmetic product, typically a brush, and

c) an axial rod fixing the manual gripping means or the cap to the application means, the axial rod being articulated in an axial plane, including an upper arm fixed at its upper end to the manual gripping means or the cap, and a lower arm fixed at its lower end to the application means, the upper arm cooperating at its lower end with the upper end of the lower arm forming a hinge with its axis radially perpendicular to the axial direction, by cooperation of a male element forming an axle at one end of the two arms, with a female element forming a hub at one end of the other arm so as to enable rotation of the arms, the lower arm possibly being rotated manually around a direction forming an angle α with the upper arm equal to zero or not equal to zero.

The applicator is characterized in that:

1) the male element includes two lateral walls oriented in the axial direction and facing each other, with a recessed part between them with a radial width L_(R) and a non-recessed part or a solid part forming the axle,

2) the female part includes a central wall oriented in the axial direction with a thickness less than the radial width L_(R) such that the central wall can slide between the lateral walls, the central wall comprising two projections facing each other forming a central recess and a peripheral recess such that the female element forms an open hub that can be assembled to the male element forming the axle by click fitting, the facing projections typically having a resilient elasticity and thus being capable of being temporarily separated under stress, typically during the click fitting or the rotation,

3) the non-recessed or solid part forming the axle has an external section forming a complete or partial order N regular polygon and the central recess has a homothetic internal section forming the regular polygon, such that the angle ox may be equal to at least two discrete adjacent angular values α₀ and α₁, where α₀<α₁ such that |α1−α0| is equal to 360°/N, where N is an integer number typically varying between 3 and 12.

The applicator according to the invention solves the problems that arise.

Firstly, its articulated axial rod only includes two click fit arms forming a hinge, such that the applicator according to the invention is economic.

With the combination of means according to the invention, this hinge enables easy assembly by click fitting to give a stable angular position of the two arms while the applicator is in use, when the two arms form an angle corresponding to the discrete angular values between them.

Furthermore, predetermined angles ox can be formed with this hinge and can be chosen or modified manually, regardless of whether or not the application means itself is inserted into the neck.

The projections facing the central wall of the female element can have resilient elasticity that makes them capable of being temporarily separated under stress, particularly during the rotation, when the upper and lower arms move from an angular position with angle (α₀ to a neighboring angular position with angle α₁, and more generally when the upper and lower arms move from an angular position with an arbitrary angle α_(i) to a neighboring angular position with angle α_(j), the angles α₀, α₁, α_(i) and Ε_(j) corresponding to the discrete angular values.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 a shows an axial sectional view of an applicator blank having an articulated axial rod.

FIG. 1 b shows an axial sectional view similar to that in FIG. 1 a showing an applicator blank having an articulated axial rod.

FIG 1 c shows an axial sectional view of an applicator provided with a cap and receptacle.

FIGS. 2 a to 2 g show embodiments of an articulated axial rod.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are sectional views in an axial plane perpendicular to the radial axis of the hinge of the articulated axial rod.

FIG. 3 c shows a side view of a single piece molded part composed of a lower arm and an application means.

FIG. 3 d shows a sectional view of the hinge.

FIGS. 4 a to 4 d are sectional views of hinge embodiments in an axial plane of the radial axis.

FIG. 4 e corresponds to FIG. 4 b having a thinned central part.

FIG. 4 f shows the outside section of a solid part forming an axle of the hinge, the section being represented by a double arrow in FIGS. 4 a to 4 d.

FIGS. 5 a to 5 c are diagrams showing the angle ox as the abscissa and the torque C to be exerted on the upper arm and lower arm as the ordinate.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 a shows an axial sectional view of an applicator blank (1′) comprising an articulated axial rod (3) fixed to a brush (4′) used as the application means (4).

FIG. 1 b shows an axial sectional view similar to that in FIG. 1 a showing an applicator blank (1″) comprising an articulated axial rod (3) fixed to a brush (4′) as the application means (4), the axial rod (3) including an upper arm (5) forming a single piece part (11) with a threaded insert (21) that will form a cap (2).

FIG. 1 c shows an axial sectional view of an applicator (1) provided with a cap (2) screwed onto the neck (90) of a receptacle (9) that will contain a cosmetic product.

FIGS. 2 a to 2 g show the articulated axial rod (3) in FIG 1 a.

FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show two side views of the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) aligned before axial click fitting, the two views being oriented at 90° from each other.

FIG. 2 c shows a side view of the articulated axial rod (3) after click fitting of the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) arranged and oriented as shown in FIG. 2 b, the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) being aligned (angle α≈0°).

FIGS. 2 d and 2 e show side views of the articulated axial rod (3) after click fitting of the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) arranged and oriented as shown in FIG. 2 a, the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) forming an angle ox equal to 90° in FIG. 2 dand 45° in FIG. 2 e.

FIG. 2 f shows an enlarged view of the hinge (31) in FIG. 2 d surrounded by a circle.

FIG. 2 g shows an enlarged view of the hinge (31) in FIG. 2 e surrounded by a circle.

FIGS. 3 a and 3 b are sectional views in an axial plane perpendicular to the radial axis (32) of the hinge (3), diagrammatically showing different click fitting methods, the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) being shown before click fitting as shown in FIG. 2 a.

FIG. 3 a shows the case of axial click fitting corresponding to that shown in FIGS. 2 a to 2 c, the peripheral recess (83) of the female element (8) forming a hub being an axial peripheral recess (830).

FIG. 3 b shows the case of lateral or radial click fitting, the peripheral recess (83) of the female element (8) forming a hub being a peripheral lateral recess (831).

FIG. 3 c shows a side view of a single piece molded part (12) composed of the lower arm (6) and an application means (4′) made of a plastic material.

FIG. 3 d shows a sectional view of the hinge (31) in a plane B-B in FIG. 4 b perpendicular to the axial direction (10), with a double horizontal arrow EM diagrammatically showing elasticity between the two lateral axle portions (74, 74′) of the male element (7) and with a vertical double arrow EF diagrammatically showing the elasticity between the two projections facing (81, 81′) the female element (8).

FIGS. 4 a to 4 d are sectional views in an axial plane comprising the radial axis (32) of different embodiments of solid parts (72) forming an axle of the male element (7). In these figures, the female element forming the hub (8) is shown in dashed lines.

In FIG. 4 a, the solid part (72) forms a central axle (73).

In FIG. 4 b corresponding to FIG. 4 a, the solid part (72) forms two lateral axle portions facing each other (74, 74′).

In FIG. 4 c corresponding to FIG. 4 a, the solid part (72) forms a central axle (73) that is also an axle with a variable section (75).

In FIG. 4 d, corresponding to FIGS. 4 b and 4 c, the solid part (72) forms two lateral axle portions facing each other (74, 74′) that form a variable section axle (75).

In FIG. 4 e corresponding to FIG. 4 b, a thinned central part (76) joins the two axle portions (74) and (74′) so as to increase the elastic stress between the two lateral walls (70) and (70′).

FIG. 4 f shows the outside section (720) of the solid part (72) forming an axle, the section being represented by a double arrow in FIGS. 4 a to 4 d.

FIGS. 5 a to 5 c are diagrams showing the angle ox as the abscissa and the torque C to be exerted on the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) as the ordinate, so as to move from a given stable angular position to a neighboring stable angular position.

FIG. 5 a corresponds to the case in which N=3, the discrete and stable angular values of the angle ox then being α₀=0° and α₁=120°, for which the value of C is minimum.

FIG. 5 b corresponds to the case in which N=6, the discrete angular values of angle ox then being α₀=0°, α₁=60° and α₂=120°.

FIG. 5 c corresponds to the case in which N=12, the discrete angular values of angle α then being α=0°, α₁=30°, α₂=60°, α₃=90°, α₄=120°.

As shown particularly in FIGS. 4 a and 4 c, the solid part forming the axle may be composed of a central axle (73) connecting the lateral walls (70) and (70′).

However, as shown in FIGS. 4 b and 4 d, the solid part forming the axle may be composed of two lateral axle portions (74, 74′), each of the lateral axles (74, 74′) being fixed to a lateral wall (70, 70′) such that the lateral walls (70, 70′) can be elastically separated if necessary during the click fitting of the arms (5, 6) or when the arms (5, 6) change from an angular position with angle α₀ to a neighboring angular position with angle α₁, and more generally when the arms (5, 6) change from an angular position with angle α_(i) to a neighboring angle position with angle α_(j).

Typically, and as shown in FIGS. 2 a to 2 c, the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) may have the same typically circular cross section, the cross section being perpendicular to the axial direction (10). As can be seen in FIG. 1 c in the case in which the applicator is a mascara applicator, it is important to be able to move the applicator (1) with respect to the neck (90) of its receptacle (9) such that the articulated axial rod (3) does not offer any resistance when it slides in the wiper (91) fixed to the neck (90).

In particular, the lateral walls (70, 70′) of the male element (7) and the central wall (80) of the female element (8) can cooperate in the hinge (3 1), such that the hinge (31) will have the cross section, particularly when the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) are in line and the angle ox formed between them is equal to 0° in this case.

According to one embodiment of the invention shown particularly in FIGS. 1 a to 1 c and 2 a to 2 c, the upper arm (5) may carry the male element (7) at its lower end (51), the lower arm (6) carrying the female element (8) at its upper end (60).

According to another embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 a or 3 b considered with marks (5) and (6) between parentheses, the upper arm (5) may carry the female element (8) at its lower end (51), the lower arm (6) carrying the male element (7) at its upper end (60).

As shown in FIG. 3 a in particular, the peripheral recess (83) of the female element (8) may be an axial peripheral recess (830) such that the click fitting of the arms (5, 6) is an axial click fitting.

As shown in FIG. 3 b, the peripheral recess (83) of the female element (8) may be a lateral or radial peripheral recess (83 1), such that the click fitting of the arms (5, 6) is a lateral or radial click fitting.

According to the invention and as shown in FIGS. 1 a and 1 b, the upper arm (5) and lower arm (6) may have lengths denoted L_(s) and L_(I) respectively, such that L_(s)+L_(I) varies from 20 mm to 100 mm, and L_(s)/L_(I) varies from 0.1 to 10 and typically from 1 to 5.

Both for practical and aesthetic reasons, the lower end (61) of the lower arm (6) may be a tapered end (62) as shown in FIGS. 1 a to 1 c and 2 a to 2 e.

The lower end (61) of the lower arm (6) may comprise an attachment means (63) of the application means (4).

The attachment means (63) may be an axial recess forming a blind hole (630) capable of cooperating with a portion of the support (41) of the application means (4).

But the lower arm (6) can be insert-molded on the upper portion (41) of the support (40) of the application means (4).

According to the invention, the angle α₀ can be equal to 0° to 15° and typically may be equal to 0°, this value α₀ is close to 0° so that the applicator (1) can be fixed to the receptacle (9).

According to the invention, N being an integer number varying from 3 to 12 and α₀ being equal to 0°, the discrete angular values are as follows for each value of N: −for  N = 3, α₁ = 120^(^(∘)), −for  N = 4, α₁ = 90^(^(∘)), −for  N = 5, α₁ = 72^(^(∘))  and  α₂ = 144^(^(∘)), −for  N = 6, α₁ = 60^(^(∘))  and  α₂ = 120^(^(∘)), −for    N = 7, α₁ = 51^(^(∘)), α₂ = 102^(^(∘)), α₃ = 153^(^(∘)), −for  N = 8, α₁ = 45^(^(∘)), α₂ = 90^(^(∘)), α₃ = 135^(^(∘)), −for  N = 9, α₁ = 40^(^(∘)), α₂ = 80^(^(∘)), α₃ = 120^(^(∘)), α₄ = 160^(^(∘)), −for  N = 10, α₁ = 36^(^(∘)), α₂ = 72^(^(∘)), α₃ = 108^(^(∘)), α₄ = 144^(^(∘)), −for    N = 11, α₁ = 33^(^(∘)), α₂ = 66^(^(∘)), α₃ = 99^(^(∘)), α₄ = 132^(^(∘)), α₅ = 165^(^(∘)) − and    for  N = 12, α₁ = 30^(^(∘)), α₂ = 60^(^(∘)), α₃ = 90^(^(∘)), α₄ = 120^(^(∘)), α₅ = 150^(^(∘)).

In a typical example of an applicator (1), N is equal to 8 and in this case the lower arm (6) may have four possible angular orientations with respect to the upper arm (5): α₀, α₁, α₂ and α₃ typically with α₀=0°, α₁=45°, α₂=90° and α₃=135°.

As the value N increases, the number of angular orientations α_(i) also increases and the manual force necessary to change from a value α_(i) to a value close to α_(j) or α_(i+1) is low. In this respect, preferred values of N vary from 5 to 10 and a typical value of N is 8.

As shown in FIGS. 4 c and 4 d, the solid part forming the axle (72) of the male element may have a variable section homothetically reducing from the lateral wall over all or part of the radial half width L_(R), so as to form an axle with a variable section (75).

As shown in FIG. 3 d, the hinge (31) may be formed by cooperation of two lateral axle portions (74, 74′) forming the male element (7) with the two projections (81, 81′) facing the central wall (80) forming the central recess (82) of the female element, and in which the two portions of lateral axle (74, 74′) and the two facing projections (81, 81′) form two pairs of elements with radial elasticity denoted E_(M) and E_(F) respectively, the radial elasticities E_(M) and E_(F) being oriented at 90° from each other.

Typically and as shown in FIG. 1 c, the manual gripping means may be composed of the cap (2), the cap typically including an outer shell (20) and a threaded inner insert (21) fixed to the upper arm (5) and capable of cooperating with the neck (90) of the receptacle (9).

According to one embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 b, the inner insert (21) and the upper arm (5) may form a single piece molded part (1 1). However, the cap (2) may possibly not have an outer shell (20) such that the threaded insert (21) forms the cap (2).

According to another embodiment shown in FIG. 3 c, the application means (4) and the lower arm (6) may form a single piece molded part (12).

Typically, the application means (4) may be formed by any mascara application means, typically by a brush (4′).

But the applicator (1) according to the invention may be composed of a brush designed for example to apply nail varnish.

EXAMPLES

FIGS. 1 to 4 f form example embodiments according to the invention.

Advantages Of The Invention

The applicators (1) according to aspects of the invention are economic to make, in particular because they are composed of a limited number of parts that are easy to assemble.

In addition, the two arms (5) and (6) of the applicator (1) may have a limited number of angular values, such that the person using the applicator is assured of having several predetermined angular orientations (for example four angular orientations α₀, α₁, α₂ and α₄) as a function of the planned use, and particularly be able to quickly and easily access each angular position or orientation, considering the design of the hinge (31) of the articulated axial rod (3).

Furthermore, these angular positions are stable because during use of the applicator (1), a torque less than the limiting torque CN necessary to move from one angular position to a neighboring angular position is applied to the arms (5) and (6), in the case of a hinge (31) for which the sections (720, 820) form an order N regular polygon. See FIGS. 5 a to 5 c.

However, a simple manual force is sufficient to change from one angular position to a neighboring angular position. 

1. Applicator of a cosmetic product, wherein the applicator cooperates in the axial direction with a receptacle having a threaded neck and containing the cosmetic product, the applicator and receptacle together forming a dispenser of the cosmetic product, the applicator comprising: a) a manual gripping means, b) a means of application of the cosmetic product, c) an axial rod fixing the manual gripping means to the application means, the axial rod being articulated in an axial plane, including an upper arm fixed at its upper end to the manual gripping means, and a lower arm fixed at its lower end to the application means, the upper arm cooperating at its lower end with the upper end of the lower arm and forming a hinge having an axis radially perpendicular to the axial direction by cooperation of a male element forming an axle at one end of the two arms, with a female element forming a hub at one end of the other arm so as to enable rotation of the arms, the lower arm being rotated manually around a direction forming an angle α with the upper arm equal to 0° or not equal to 0°, wherein: 1) the male element includes two lateral walls oriented in the axial direction and facing each other, with a recessed part between the two lateral walls with a radial width L_(R) and a non-recessed part or solid part forming the axle, 2) the female part includes a central wall oriented in the axial direction with a thickness less than the radial width L_(R) such that the central wall can slide between the two lateral walls, the central wall comprising two projections facing each other forming a central recess and a peripheral recess such that the female element forms an open hub that can be assembled to the male element forming the axle by click fitting, the facing projections having a resilient elasticity and thus being capable of being temporarily separated under stress, during the click fitting or the rotation, 3) the non-recessed or solid part forming the axle has an external section forming a complete or partial order N regular polygon and the central recess has a homothetic internal section forming the regular polygon, such that the angle ox may be equal to at least two discrete adjacent angular values α₀ and α₁, where α₀<α₁ such that |α₁−α₀| is equal to 360°/N, where N is an integer number varying from 3 to
 12. 2. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the solid part forming the axle includes a central axle connecting the lateral walls.
 3. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the solid part forming the axle is composed of two lateral axle portions, each of the lateral axles being fixed to a lateral wall such that if necessary the lateral walls can be elastically separated during the click fitting of the arms or when the arms change from an angular position with angle α₀ to a neighboring angular position with angle αl, and more generally when the arms change from an angular position with angle αi to a neighboring angular position with angle α_(j).
 4. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the upper arm and lower arm have the same generally circular cross section, the cross section being perpendicular to the axial direction.
 5. Applicator according to claim 4 wherein the lateral walls of the male element and the central wall of the female element cooperate in the hinge, such that the hinge has the generally circular cross section, particularly when the upper arm and lower arm are in line and the angle ox formed between them is equal to 0°.
 6. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the upper arm carries the male element at its lower end and the lower arm carrying the female element at its upper end.
 7. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the upper arm carries the female element at its lower end and the lower arm carrying the male element at its upper end.
 8. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral recess of the female element is an axial peripheral recess so that click fitting of the arms is an axial click fitting.
 9. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the peripheral recess of the female element is a lateral or radial peripheral recess, such that the click fitting of the arms is a lateral or radial click fitting.
 10. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the lengths of the upper arm and lower arm denoted L_(s) and L_(I) respectively are such that L_(s)+L_(I) varies from 20 mm to 100 mm, and L_(s)/L_(I) varies from 0.1 to
 10. 11. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the lower end of the lower arm is a tapered end.
 12. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the lower end of the lower arm includes an attachment means of the application means.
 13. Applicator according to claim 12 wherein the attachment means is an axial recess forming a blind hole capable of cooperating with a portion of the support of the application means.
 14. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the angle α₀ is equal to 0° to 15°.
 15. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein N is an integer number varying from 3 to 12 and α₀ is equal to 0°, and the discrete angular values are as follows for each value of N: −for  N = 3, α₁ = 120^(^(∘)), −for  N = 4, α₁ = 90^(^(∘)), −for  N = 5, α₁ = 72^(^(∘))  and  α₂ = 144^(^(∘)), −for  N = 6, α₁ = 60^(^(∘))  and  α₂ = 120^(^(∘)), −for    N = 7, α₁ = 51^(^(∘)), α₂ = 102^(^(∘)), α₃ = 153^(^(∘)), −for  N = 8, α₁ = 45^(^(∘)), α₂ = 90^(^(∘)), α₃ = 135^(^(∘)), −for  N = 9, α₁ = 40^(^(∘)), α₂ = 80^(^(∘)), α₃ = 120^(^(∘)), α₄ = 160^(^(∘)), −for  N = 10, α₁ = 36^(^(∘)), α₂ = 72^(^(∘)), α₃ = 108^(^(∘)), α₄ = 144^(^(∘)), −for    N = 11, α₁ = 33^(^(∘)), α₂ = 66^(^(∘)), α₃ = 99^(^(∘)), α₄ = 132^(^(∘)), α₅ = 165^(^(∘)) − and    for  N = 12, α₁ = 30^(^(∘)), α₂ = 60^(^(∘)), α₃ = 90^(^(∘)), α₄ = 120^(^(∘)), α₅ = 150^(^(∘)).
 16. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the solid part forming the axle of the male element has a variable section homothetically reducing from the lateral wall over all or part of the radial half width L_(R), so as to form an axle with a variable section.
 17. Applicator according to claim 3 wherein the hinge is formed by cooperation of two lateral axle portions forming the male element with the two projections facing the central wall forming the central recess of the female element, and wherein the two portions of lateral axle and the two facing projections form two pairs of elements with radial elasticity denoted E_(M) and E_(F) respectively, the radial elasticities E_(M) and E_(F) being oriented at 90° from each other.
 18. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the manual gripping means is a cap having an outer shell and a threaded inner insert fixed to the upper arm and capable of cooperating with the neck of the receptacle.
 19. Applicator according to claim 18 wherein the inner insert and the upper arm form a single piece molded part.
 20. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the application means and the lower arm form a single piece molded part.
 21. Applicator according to claim 1 wherein the application means is a brush. 